Live from the Panasonic NAB press conference...

Barry_Green said:
Why not? I haven't talked to any P2 owners who are unhappy. The system just got a whole lot more affordable, and a 64gb card that used to be a pipe dream, just became reality for a lot of us.
Click to expand...

I was about the pull the trigger on 5 64Gb cards, so I might have been a little upset! I'm obviously glad I decided to wait the extra few weeks till NAB came around. Of course, now I have another predicament. I'm getting a P2 camera now, but need cards to fill it with. But the new 64GBs won't be here until August (likely August 31, if I know Panasonic). So I might still have to pull the trigger on one or two of the old 64Gbs while I wait for the new batch to arrive. Not so excited about that...

Personally, I think Panasonic will quickly retire the A series cards (64/32GBs), once the R series starts shipping. I think Panasonic is saying those A series cards will be sold alongside of the new ones only so that A) customers of the recent 64Gb cards (shipping since only November) don't feel like they recently bought into an already-obsolete product, and B) customers who have to buy a 64GB card between now and bloody August also don't feel like they're buying an already-obsolete product.

But for all intents and purposes, I think that's what's happening. I can't imagine someone choosing to pay $2600 for a slower 64GB card with a 10+ year shelf life, when they could buy a much faster 64GB card for $1000 with a 5 year shelf life (again, conservative estimate on the shelf life).
 
Well, first of all, price drops happen with memory. That's what happens. It will continue to happen. Am I annoyed that I paid $100 for a 2GB SanDisk Ultra II card? Not really, even though I could buy a 32GB card for that same price now.

But anyway, the R series is already discontinuing, that was the series before the "A". The "A" is the new current top-end series, aimed at broadcasters and those who need the reusability.

You can see the same effect in SSDs, there are cheaper ones that are MLC and there are the top-performing and much-more-expensive drives that are SLC. You'd never use an MLC drive in a server application, but SLC would be appropriate there. So will they sell more MLC P2 cards than SLC? I would bet that far more of their customers will buy MLC, yes. But the big customers, the broadcasters, will probably still buy SLC.

I can't imagine someone choosing to pay $2600 for a slower 64GB card with a 10+ year shelf life, when they could buy a much faster 64GB card for $1000 with a 5 year shelf life
Click to expand...
But -- if you were the type of user who might actually use the card enough to see it reach the end of its life, then the choice is an A series card that costs 2.6x as much and lasts 10x as long (assuming MLC=10,000 rewrites, and SLC=100,000 rewrites). That's a no-brainer for buying the A-series card, right there.

But I think the vast majority of us will be plenty well served with the MLC-based "E" series.
 
k2director said:
Of course, now I have another predicament. I'm getting a P2 camera now, but need cards to fill it with. But the new 64GBs won't be here until August (likely August 31, if I know Panasonic). So I might still have to pull the trigger on one or two of the old 64Gbs while I wait for the new batch to arrive. Not so excited about that...
Click to expand...
There's going to be a program for people in that predicament. Write to Jan and tell her what you're up against, she might be able to help you out. I don't know all the details but they said there would be some sort of rebate given out for HPX300 buyers who would buy the "E" series cards but can't wait until August to get their cards so they have to buy "A" series now...
 
Barry_Green said:
There's going to be a program for people in that predicament. Write to Jan and tell her what you're up against, she might be able to help you out. I don't know all the details but they said there would be some sort of rebate given out for HPX300 buyers who would buy the "E" series cards but can't wait until August to get their cards so they have to buy "A" series now...
Click to expand...

While this (my) comment will probably inspire another round of "well, that ain't gonna happen" . . .

I would think a reasonable solution would be for there to be some accomodation in regard to the present price structure of the existing P2's. Yeah, they'll last longer . . . yadda yadda, but and while it may create a large pool of "customers in waitning" for the new cards, I would predict that not taking a look at some level of price reduction will prevent them from "flying off the shelves."

I hope I don't have to say, this is not intended as a criticism or inditement but just my thinking on the issue.
 
Barry_Green said:
There's going to be a program for people in that predicament. Write to Jan and tell her what you're up against, she might be able to help you out. I don't know all the details but they said there would be some sort of rebate given out for HPX300 buyers who would buy the "E" series cards but can't wait until August to get their cards so they have to buy "A" series now...
Click to expand...

Whoops, I meant the new E series when i said R series in my previous message. And don't get me wrong....I'm not complaining about these new price drops, I'm thrilled with them for my own wallet's sake, and also thrilled because I think these new prices will breathe some fresh life into the P2 format, get P2 cards in many more hands, and show that P2 does have the ability to change and improve with the times. (Yes, memory prices always do fall, but until today, it had looked like Panasonic had forgotten that rule, since 32GB cards stayed at about the same price point for 16 or so months, while the prices for every other memory format plunged).

Anyway, that's ancient history now. I'm glad to see Panasonic respond so decisively to the former problem of high P2 price points. I think this new move will pay off in spades. I'm excited for Panasonic as much as myself.

And thanks much for the tip about some kind of rebate program for those that might have to buy P2 cards now, but really want the E Series cards. I hope that's real, and applies to 64Gb E cards especially. I'll post what I find out..
 
Carlos Corral said:
Thanks for the info Barry. I'm so happy the E series came out but I'm a little worried about their life-spans. Even SDHC cards have higher life spans. Let's say we don't use the E series card everyday for 5 years. Maybe like once or twice a week. Does it still only last 5 years?
Click to expand...

I wouldn't worry too much about how long it'll last, Panasonic is probably just putting that time estimate on it for two reasons:

a) To make those who got the slower older cards not feel like they've been taken for a ride
b) To make the clients that would still pony up for the expensive ones buy them

Ask yourself what compact flash cards have you seen die from regular use? Barry's 27 year estimate makes way more sense. And to be honest it's 2009, in 2014 I'm sure we'll have something else better to use.
 
Carlos Corral said:
Thanks for the info Barry. I'm so happy the E series came out but I'm a little worried about their life-spans. Even SDHC cards have higher life spans. Let's say we don't use the E series card everyday for 5 years. Maybe like once or twice a week. Does it still only last 5 years?
Click to expand...

Me thinks this is based on number of uses. The cards can be used so many times before they wear out (for lack of a better term). If you use it once or twice a day, everyday, for five years... you roughly hit that number of uses.

Use it once or twice a week instead of once or twice a day, it'll last you 35 years. More or less. :)
 
ecking said:
I wouldn't worry too much about how long it'll last, Panasonic is probably just putting that time estimate on it for two reasons:
a) To make those who got the slower older cards not feel like they've been taken for a ride
b) To make the clients that would still pony up for the expensive ones buy them
.
Click to expand...

I think your on the money ecking , the A series card price is Ridiculous, "A cynic would say this this proposed new E series card is just a re badged A series with time clocked firmware built-in , and for P2 to compete with Sony's XDacm they have to make it more attractive to more users/buyers, a simple marketing strategy."
In fairness to those who purchased the A series 64/32gig cards pana should offer a trade in/up deal.
Now, if they can do this with the P2 cards why can't they also provide a cheaper cut down P2 Card reader also with a built-in time limited usage?.

Cheers
Tom K
olinevideo.com.au
 
Tom 4 said:
Now, if they can do this with the P2 cards why can't they also provide a cheaper cut down P2 Card reader also with a built-in time limited usage?.
Click to expand...

Agreed. But it doesn't have to have limited time usage. Why can't panasonic put out a single slot reader for p2 like this:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/526430-REG/Sony_SBAC_US10_SBAC_US10_SxS_Memory_Card.html
Now that these E series cards are cheaper and more accessible we need a cheaper and more accessible way of offloading them from panasonic that isn't through the camera. They've got 5 slot usb reader for like 2 grand, why not a single slot one? Even if it was usb only(which I'd rather frankly), I've used usb out on the hvx to offload to my macbook plenty of times.
 
The P2 Store has no reason to be used with a 64GB card. The card is bigger than the P2 Store's drive.

A P2 Store doesn't really make much sense with anything larger than 8GB (or maybe 16GB) cards.
 
Barry_Green said:
Okay, lots more on the 3-D system, including that twin-lens HPX170-looking thing:
http://www2.panasonic.com/webapp/wc...9023429173&surfModel=Content04162009023429173
Click to expand...

Yes, the P2 news is great ... but that 3D prototype is making me drool - it's about time someone stepped up the development of an efficient 3D production camera.
As ridiculous as it was - I was disheartened years ago when Canon killed off their 3D lens for the Xl1.
:)

(thanks for the great coverage, Barry. Much appreciated)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top